10 of the best turbo-fours ever built

Adding a turbocharger or supercharger to a four-cylinder engine delivers incredible power with better fuel economy.

If you’re a car enthusiast, you’ve probably heard the term “forced induction” before. It’s a mechanical system that increases the amount of air flowing into the engine, which results in more power. And when it comes to high-performance engines, turbocharged four engines have captured the hearts of car enthusiasts the world over.

From the racetracks to the streets. Thanks to their high power-to-weight ratio, efficiency, affordability and tuning ability, turbo-fours have become a favorite of motoring enthusiasts who crave speed and agility. Forced induction, the four-cylinder turbocharged engines are capable of taking on their V6 competitors in many automotive applications.

V6 engines typically generate more power and torque thanks to two more cylinders and more displacement. The addition of a turbocharger or supercharger to the four engine helps deliver similar levels of power to the larger engines while providing better fuel economy. In a package that is cheaper, lighter and easier to maintain. The automotive industry has provided us with many engines that prove you can achieve incredible power and performance with turbo-fours.

10. Mitsubishi 4G63T

The Mitsubishi 4G63T is a turbocharged version of the 4G63 engine, and one of the best turbo-fours, first introduced in 1980. The 4G63T’s turbocharged engines were clearly developed for the high-performance Mitsubishi Lancer Evo series, which began production in 1992, and were put into many of Mitsubishi performance cars, including the development of the Lancer Avolution, Eclipse and Galant VR-4. Mitsubishi RVR Hyper Sports.

The engine offered a great balance of power and reliability. It quickly earned a reputation as one of the most powerful four-cylinder engines ever produced, and more than three decades later, it remains a highly respected engine among enthusiasts. Suffice it to say that its average resource exceeds 300,000 km, with a tuning capacity of more than 1,000 horsepower. And it caught up to the last wagon for the list of the best turbo-fours ever built.

The 4G63T quad-turbo engines are truly iconic, and have won worldwide recognition, due to their unlimited number of modifications, selection of parts, excellent resources, durability and maintainability. But the main thing is the impressive possibilities for forcing and tuning the engine, which are used not only by “garage” craftsmen, but also by branded ones. The engine was produced in 1987-2007,

09. Nissan SR20DET

Nissan introduced the 2-liter SR20DET in 1989 as a turbocharged version of the capable SR20DE, which raised output from 201 hp to 247 hp, peaking at 280 hp in later applications. It first appeared in the U12 Bluebird SSS ATTESA, but its most notable application was in the Nissan Silvia, 180SX and 200SX.

The SR20DET is one of the world’s finest turbo-fours, the 2.0-liter, double overhead camshaft, electronic fuel injection, single-turbocharger that debuted in 1989. It wasn’t the pinnacle of Japanese engines, but it became a true icon for all turbo-fours. The SR20 was built against the backdrop of a veritable back-and-forth technology war with Japanese marque Toyota in the 1970s and 1980s.

This versatile mill has been in production for over 13 years in almost every configuration imaginable, and these turbo-four engines have propelled a series of cars that have graced nearly 18 different Nissan and Infiniti platforms worldwide. The aluminum block and engine have strong aftermarket support due to their popularity in the tuning community, and many enthusiasts have built highly tuned versions capable of producing over 1,000 horsepower.

08. Subaru EJ20 / EJ25

The Subaru WRX was the original turbocharged pocket rocket that quickly established itself as a dominant force in rally racing. It remained a global phenomenon for years, thanks in part to its iconic Boxer-four engines, the fantastic EJ20 turbo-fours, and was available in two capacities, the 2-litre and the 2.5-litre EJ25-four.

Both featured a DOHC design with four valves per cylinder, a turbocharger, and an intercooler, and power outputs from these turbo-fours ranged from 205 hp to 320 hp.

The EJ20 and EJ25 engine models are versatile engines that have seen adaptations beyond the iconic WRX, and these engines have also serviced all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive applications in many Subaru vehicles, including the Forester and Legacy.

07. Toyota 2ZR-FE Supercharged

The Toyota 2ZR’s four-turbo engines are good engines, especially after the final sporty updates made to it, such as remapping, turbo improvements and camshaft improvements that definitely enhance driving pleasure. And when it comes to what’s best for the 2ZR’s engine, the 2ZR’s big gains can be made from camshaft upgrades. Changing the shape of the camshaft changes the intake and exhaust periods on the engine and can significantly alter torque and power output.

The 2ZR-FE is a 1.8-liter aluminum four-cylinder block, upright engine introduced in 2007 to join the ZR family, including the 1ZR and 3ZR. The engine only produces 138 hp in various Toyota and Scion cars. But a supercharged version was used in the GRMN’s Lotus Elise and Toyota Yaris, pushing it to generate up to 217 bhp in the Elise. The success of these turbo-fours helped launch the Gazoo Racing sub-brand in Europe.

The 2ZR-FE four-turbocharged engines feature an aluminum cylinder block with fork-type cast iron liners, steel connecting rods and lightweight pistons with resin-coated flanges. The pistons are cooled by spraying engine oil on the bottom of the pistons with oil jets. And a 16-valve aluminum cylinder head was installed on top of the block. Turbo and forced induction improvements have added tremendous power to these turbo-four engines.

06. Mercedes-AMG M139

The Mercedes-AMG M139 is a 2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine introduced in 2019 as part of the brand’s “One Man, One Engine” philosophy, where every engine is the hand-made product of a single technician. The high-performance M139 engine is currently the most powerful four-cylinder engine in production. The new high-performance turbo engine from Mercedes-AMG ranks ahead of many well-known super sports car engines.

With an output of up to 310 kW (421 hp), the newly developed 2.0-litre Mercedes-AMG M 139 engine is the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine in series production. With this engine, Mercedes-AMG has surpassed the previously more powerful M 133 engine by 30 kW (41 hp). The maximum torque has also increased from 475 to 500 Nm.

The four cylinders available in two output versions will ensure agile performance for the Mercedes-AMG compact models: with 310 kW (421 hp) as the S model and 285 kW (387 hp) in the basic version. This logic of product policy has already proven successful in the AMG Performance models, and they are engines that are equally impressive in their immediate response and high rev rates of up to 7,200 rpm.

05. Porsche 718 Boxster 2.5L Flat Four

No one will miss the two cylinders Porsche removed from the engine bay of the Boxster and Cayman, which the German automaker recently introduced. A pair of new flat-four turbo engines, each of which is equipped with a turbocharger to boost output, they are powerful, fuel-efficient and technically innovative – both not only complement the Porsche sports car driving experience, but significantly improve it.

The current-generation Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman models share the powerful and efficient 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four, inline-four, and make 350 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. Porsche introduced the engine in 2016 to replace the previous naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine.

The 2.5-liter direct-injection flat-bed engine is a testament to the technological advances that have allowed smaller, turbocharged engines to deliver impressive power. It’s also highly efficient, with a combined fuel economy of 22-24 mpg.

04. Volkswagen Golf R 2.0L TSI

The EA888 engine is a series of three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines found throughout the Volkswagen Group. The high-performance Golf R uses the EA888 TSI four-cylinder engine design, producing 315 hp. The engine underwent a development program similar to that of a sports car engine, to design a series of advanced turbo-four engines for the EA888 series of engines. That puts the Golf R outperforming the already fun Golf GTI.

TSI is short for “turbo stratified injection” and refers to a turbocharged engine. It is a series of four- and three-cylinder turbocharged engines used in a variety of Volkswagen Group vehicles, including models such as the Skoda Octavia, Seat Tarraco, Volkswagen Golf and the latest Volkswagen Touareg SUV. Those turbo four engines launch the Golf from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds.

Many technical details of these turbo-four engines have been modified to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and increase power and torque values ​​at the same time. Featuring a newly designed cylinder head, the designers have boosted the Golf R’s engine output by 70 PS to 221 kW / 300 PS, creating one of the most powerful four-cylinder engines. And the maximum torque has been increased from 30 Nm to 380 Nm, making it one of the best turbocharged engines.

03. Honda K20C1 Turbocharger

The Honda Civic Type R has always used naturally aspirated high-revving engines. In 2015, Honda introduced the FK2 of the ninth-generation Civic with a 2-liter VTEC four-turbo engine making 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That rises to 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque with the 2023 Civic Type R. It was only available for years as a box engine to professional racing teams. For years, it is one of the best turbocharged quads.

Turbo-fours were a staple of HPD’s line-up of racing cars; The K20C1 engine uses a low-inertia MHI TD04 turbocharger with electronic waste gate, producing 22.8 psi of boost pressure. As fuel-efficient as they are for their performance, with fuel efficiency of 25 mpg, the turbo-four engines are specifically designed for easy, affordable and reliable swap applications.

The engine has a lightweight, cast aluminum cylinder block with cast iron cylinder sleeves and reinforced main bearing caps. There is a lightweight forged steel crankshaft with precision polished wheels to reduce friction, high-strength forged steel connecting rods, lightweight pistons with bore crowns and a low-friction molybdenum coating.

02. Volvo T6

Volvo is known for being an innovator when it comes to style, safety and performance. Volvo is also known for having some of the most advanced engines in the luxury car world. Two of these top four turbocharged engines are the T5 and T6 engine. A T6 engine will usually have more horsepower than a T5 engine. For example, the T5 engine in the Volvo XC60 produces 250 hp, while the T6’s four-turbocharged engines deliver up to 316 hp.

The T5 is available on front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models, while the T6’s turbocharged four-cylinder engines are only available on all-wheel-drive models. Another model, the T8’s turbo-four, comes standard with eAWD (also AWD). And the Volvo T6’s four-turbocharged engines prove that the V8 engine is not needed to produce more than 300 hp.

The 2-liter inline four-cylinder engine uses a turbocharger and supercharger that work together to deliver plenty of boost to create up to 316 horsepower. The T6 series four-turbocharged engine was added to the Volvo XC90, S90, V90 and XC60. What’s more, it comes paired with an electric motor in a hybrid version, pushing the total combined output to 400 horsepower and 472 lb-ft of torque, while achieving impressive fuel economy.

01. Fiat Lampredi Twin Cam

At number one on the list of the best turbocharged fours ever built comes the Fiat Lampredi Twin Cam, a four-cylinder engine designed by the legendary Aurelio Lampredi and used in numerous Fiat, Lacia, and Alfa Romeo models from the 1960s to the 1990s. The engine has seen wide application in sports cars, and appeared in the most winning rally car in the history of the World Rally Championship.